Anatoly Kosov

Anatoly Mikhailovich Kosov (; 19 November 1927 – 11 February 1995) was an officer of the Soviet Navy. He reached the rank of vice-admiral, and served as commander of the Baltic Fleet between 1975 and 1978.

Biography Kosov was born on 19 November 1927 in Alexandrovskoye, Stavropol Krai, in what was then the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, in the Soviet Union. He enrolled as a cadet at the Caspian Higher Naval School in 1945, graduating in 1949 and being assigned to the Caspian Flotilla. Here he rose from the positions of commander of a shipboard combat unit, to assistant commander, and then commander of a large anti-submarine vessel. In 1954, he transferred to the Northern Fleet, serving as assistant commander, and then commander of a patrol ship. In 1958, Kosov enrolled in the Naval Academy for further studies, graduating in 1961. In 1964, he was appointed chief of staff of a separate brigade of submarines, then chief of staff of a division, and finally commander of the 16th Submarine Division, being promoted to rear-admiral on 29 April 1970. In 1971, he joined the Baltic Fleet as its chief of staff, being promoted to vice-admiral on 2 February 1972. He served in this role until 1 September 1975, when he was appointed the fleet's commander.

During his time in command Kosov oversaw the introduction of new ships and technologies, and the conduct of large scale exercises held in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. But within a couple of months in his new role, he was faced with a mutiny aboard one of his ships, when in November 1975, the frigate Storozhevoy's political officer, captain 3rd rank Valery Sablin took over the ship and sailed her from Riga into the Baltic Sea. Kosov ordered the other ships in Riga to give chase, catching up with her. He radioed Sablin, ordering him to turn back, but Sablin refused. The pursuing vessels asked for permission to fire on Storozhevoys bridge with their naval guns, a request Kosov denied. The Storozhevoy was eventually damaged by air-dropped bombs, leaving her unable to continue her course, and the mutiny failed.

Honours and awards Over his career Kosov received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, the Order of the Red Star, as well as various medals.